Wednesday, May 02, 2007

We'll cheer if we want to

Only in Canada would there be a Parliamentary Committee inquiry into an alleged 'racial insult' that supposedly occurred at a professional hockey game almost two years ago.

MPs say that because Hockey Canada receives federal funding, they have a right to haul in the officials who had the audacity to name Shane Doan the Captain of Team Canada.

Do you know what Shane Doan is alleged to have said? I've always figured it was something really rude and vile. Something that would cut a Frenchman to the quick. Here's what he's alleged to have said:
"F... French did a good job.'"
For this, he shouldn't be Captain? For this a Parliamentary Committee -- is this Afghan torture stuff even going to a Parliamentary Committee? Who's running the show up there in Ottawa?

Even if he did say it -- where's the hate? Where's the racism?

"Try imagining for two seconds that an NHL player would say something like that about an anglophone, or anyone else. I'm sure Hockey Canada and the Canadian government would demand an explanation. Why not for francophones?" says Marcel Proulx, Liberal MP.

Try as I might, I can't imagine the pain of someone saying something so terrible and insulting as: "F***ing (insert ethnic/gender group here) did a good job." How does that poor linesman get out of bed in the morning knowing someone has denigrated his race to this extent. How can we as Canadians live with ourselves knowing that this nasty mouth is going unchecked into international competition.

And the Conservatives on the committee voted along with these idiots. Shame.

Funny those Quebec MPs can't let go of this. Could it be because Shane Doan is from Alberta? Maybe it's Quebec MPs with anti-Alberta sentiments, unwilling to accept the NHL investigation which cleared Doan because Doan is from out west. Silly? No sillier than questioning the captaincy of our Team while the tournament is in progress. This was addressed at the 2006 Olympics when MPs were offended that Doan was allowed to play at all. They were wrong then. They are wrong now.

These MPs have stretched their authority under the pretext of 'accountability' because the Team receives federal funds. Do they insist on looking into who is hired at Bombardier because it receives so much public dough?

Jack Layton says 'it (the selection of Doan as Captain) is taking away from the enthusiasm everyone wants to have.'

No Jack. Most of us are don't need parliamentary approval to cheer for our team. You idiots on the Hill seem to think you've got to be the final arbiter of every single thing in our lives --- LEAVE HOCKEY ALONE!!!

Go Canada Go!

As a PS -- why are they allowed to hold a Parliamentary Committee on something that's before the courts (Doan sued Denis Coderre who counter sued)?

canadianna

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

Hmmmmm - This certainly has gotten the "detainee" issue off the front pages.

As was put forth by "The Politic" perhaps the Tories evaded a land mine of being labelled "anti-french" by voting for this.

As Micheal Chong explained on the radio last night - the Tories want Hockey Canada to be able to come and tell the committee their side of the story (and hopefully how "F.... stupid" they are - opps - I am sure I will be the subject of a committee now!!)

Guess we see now why they are all paid the big bucks - this governing is hard work??????

Canadianna said...

alberta girl -- I just wish that they'd have decided to laugh at the pettiness of the other idiots on the committee.
While this might give Hockey Canada a chance to present its 'side', the perception is that it validates the 'concerns' of the committee.

If they can't take a stand on such a small issue, how can we expect them to stand up when it's something that really matters?

Anonymous said...

The government is getting closer to meddling with our every day activities at a rapid pace. I wonder how much ink, paper and time has been wasted with a non-issue such as this? And what will they come up with next that has no bearing on what they were elected for.

Anonymous said...

Hi. I see no possible defense for any of the federal parties in this matter. They are using the powers, time, authority and monies of Parliament to target and demonize a private citizen on the basis of an allegation that has already been investigated and dismissed, and which would seem to be a legitimate use of a Canadian citizen's right to free speech in any case. They are, moreover, meddling in the business of Hockey Canada, bringing base political considerations to bear on the coaches' and GM's ability to decide what is best for their team. Finally, they are attacking a young man who, as we speak, is offering his rather highly-costed labour gratis and risking costly injury to represent his country, as indeed he has done in the past, most recently at the Turin Olympics; for this, he is to face character assassination from Her Majesty's Government. That the Tories should so obviously fail to do the right thing in this matter, when the stakes are so very low, when the cost of doing the right things is so negligible, makes them every bit as culpable as the transparently chauvinistic secessionists, the rankly unprincipled NDP and the "honourable" likes of M Coderre. Hell, even Ken Dryden can tell that this stinks.

This is a betrayal of a patriotic Canadian for no reason whatever; it is a betrayal of the autonomy of arm's length sports agencies in this Country (what's next, regional quotas in team composition?); it is an attack on a private citizen's Charter right to free speech; and distressingly it is proof not just of the amorality of the opposition parties, but of a government that hasn't the ability to discern, or the energy to act on, what is clearly the right thing, which is to defend all the values listed above, and not to become complicit in base BQ Alberta-baiting, which is all this load of crap is!

As for me, I have, effective today, resigned my position on my EDA Board of Directors, removed myself from the PMO mailing list, estopped my monthly contributions to the Party, written my Tory MP (for whom I campaigned in 2004 and 2006), and the Prime Minister, and have suggested that Coach's Corner speak to this issue on tonight's broadcast from--as fate would have it--Ottawa. The sad fact is that all the other parties are considerably more ignoble still... Nonetheless I urge everyone upset by this move to let their voices be heard.

D. Marcel DeCoste
Regina (Riding of Palliser)

Ryan R said...

Ken Dryden's politics don't do much for me, but as one would suspect, his hockey sense is great.

He had an excellent interview on Mike Duffy Live today, and I agree with what he said - Hockey Canada, not Parliamentarians, should be determining who's the Captain of Team Canada.

BHCh said...

Unbelievable. Is this the kind of rhetoric that brings out votes in Quebec?